Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1887-03-10
EXECUTION OF MRS. DRUSE.
Before Expiatlng Her Crime She Makes
Full Confession.
Some Account OF the Crime aud tho
Efforts Made 60 Save Her
From the Galiows.

BurrALo, N. Y. March IA dispatch
from Herkimer says that Mrs, Roxalana
Druse, was hanged In the Jail yard At thu
rear of the county Jail at noon YESTERDAY
Only the twenty,seven spectators allowed
by law were present,
The drop fell at 1901 p. m. Amer
hanging six minutes, she was pronounce
dead Sunday morning Mrs. Druso.madc
confession TO DIR. Powell, She states
that Charles Gates instigatcd her to get
rid Of her husband, and gave her pistol
with which to shoot him at the first
favorable opportunity. On the morning
OF the murder her husband raised mn axe
TO strike, and she ran into the pantry.
She says II got the pistol and came out,
My husband was sitting down al tho
table, aud he Sworo awful about the tea
aud sugar | raised tho pistol and shot,
| hit him In the neck and only stunned
him. Gates then shot through the win.
dow aud Druse fell to the floor Gates
then shot again. only shot once, | took
the aX and cut his head of and chopped
him up, His head was taken 10 the
woodshcd and put in lot Of bnokwhcat,
Tho body was all burned up" Mrs, Druse
said she killed her husband because she
'could not stand II my longer. lilo was
brute"
Tho diabolcal character of tho crime
and the strenuous efforts which were put
forth to save the female principal from
the gallows have combined to make the
execution one OF almost national interest.
Told In detail tho history would make a
bulky and sensational volume. Briefly
summarized, the history OF tho case IL
this; The Druso family comprised the
victim, George Druse, his wife, daugh'
ter aged 10; son, George, aged 10; n
nephew, Frank Gates, aged II, The
family resided on farm, Tho day of tho
murder quarrel occurred between the
husband and wife ut the breakfast table.
Tho wife left the room while the victim
continued ut his breakfast, In n few
moments Mrs, Druse returned with n
loaded revolver concealed under her
apron. She whispered TO tho boys 20
leave the room The door had scarcely
closed behind them, when Mary, the
daughter, who had remained behind,
crept up around her father and threw a
rope around his neck, At the same mo.
ment, the mother and wife discharged
tho revolver twice, each shot taking Of.
feet In the unfortunate mans chest, He
fell over sideways In his chair. His wife
attempted to discharge the weapon again,
but II missed fire. She then called In the
boys. George and Frank, and giving the
revolver to the latter, compelled him I'M
der threat of killing him, to fire II three
times Each shot took effect and the
victim rolled Off the chair to the floor
Then the most flendish phase Of the crime
was commenced Selling an axe, Mrs.
Druse commenced chopping upon tho
neck OF the corpse until the head was
severed from the body. The head and
the body were then taken into the parlor
and for eighteen hours thereafter the
family devoted themselves 10 the task OF
carving up the corpse, burning some OF
the fragments In tho stove and feeding
others to the hogs, BY this means all
signs OF crime were made TO disappear, but
murder will out, and the absence of Druse
from his accustomed haunts led TO I'M In
vestigation, and little by little the mys.
terry was unravclled until the horrible
story in Its entirety was revealed. The
entire family was arrested, but the two
boys escaped on account OF their youth
Mrs. Druse and her daughter were
promptly convicted, the former being
sentenced to death and the daughter to
State prison for life.
Notwithstanding the diabolical nature
OF the crime, however, the natural re.
pugnance on the part Of many people
10 the idea Of hanging n woman DO.
gan to manifest itself soon after the
conviction. Petitions In favor OF
Communication were sent to Gov
crnor Hill by the various women's associ-
ations OF many states and so much pres.
sure was brought to bear upon the oxccu.
-.AI a Al. n.